Mussel Soup

Many people are nervous of mussels, thinking that they spell instant food poisoning. But they are perfectly safe as long as any broken mussels or dead ones are discarded before you begin. To tell whether a mussel is dead, tap it sharply against the side of the sink: it should close tightly. If it refuses to close, throw it away. Also throw away any broken mussels or any which, when all the others are cooked and have opened, refuse to open.